Takeley (1) 3, Romford (0) 2 – Isuzu FA Vase Second Round – Saturday 9th November 2024

There will be no trip to Wembley for Boro this season after defeat at fellow Essex Senior League side Takeley in the Second Round of the FA Vase.

The outcome might have been different had Kennedy Feyi been able to make contact with Praise Ogbebor’s low cross and made it 3-1 after 66 minutes, however; as it was, the ball ran harmlessly across goal and two minutes later the home side levelled the scores before going on to net a late winner.

The game had barely settled into any sort of rhythm when the home side went ahead after eight minutes, Jordan Wescott heading home powerfully from a free-kick lofted into the Boro penalty area by Jack Mitchell.

That early goal knocked Romford out of their stride and for much of the remainder of the half Takeley were in the ascendancy with too many Boro passes going astray and possession all too often conceded against a side that pressed, and pressed, and pressed. In the league game earlier in the season, Takeley keeper Jarvis Monk had kept Boro at bay; today it was Boro’s Harry Girling keeping the home side from increasing their lead.

After 24 minutes Girling redeemed himself after a poor clearance had gifted Takeley possession when he turned a shot from James Thomas round the post, but that save was topped after 41 minutes when he hurled himself to his right to turn away a shot from Charlie Allum that seemed destined for the back of the net. Girling breathed a sigh of relief after 26 minutes however, when his misdirected clearance allowed Takeley a clear sight of goal, but fortunately the shot cleared the crossbar.

Boro’s best efforts of the first 45 minutes saw Praise Ogbebor’s shot beaten away by Monk after Jaiden Babalola and Ken Feyi had combined to create the opportunity and then Ogbebor set up Brendan Ocran for another shot that Monk again beat away.

Energised no doubt by their half-time team talk, Boro attacked the second half with more vigour. In the first minute of the second period Joe Paxman fired over the bar after Chris Millar had found Ogbebor, who had cut the ball back, but it was only a minute later that Boro were level, Brendan Ocran sidefooting home from just inside the penalty area after Ken Feyi had played a low pass in from the left.

After 53 minutes, Boro were celebrating the lead with a cracking goal from Jaiden Babalola whose right foot shot from outside the box flew beyond the despairing dive of Monk and into the top corner.

The missed opportunity for a third goal cost Boro dear when a long ball out of defence found Takeley full-back Coby Miles in space on the right and when his low cross eluded Harry Girling, Jack Mitchell tapped in at the far post. Worse followed in the 81st minute. Boro conceded a corner but appeared to have dealt with it effectively and won themselves a goal kick, but after some hesitation, the referee awarded another corner and when the ball in from the right proved to be too high for Girling to deal with, Alfie Attrill headed in at the far post.

Boro huffed and puffed in an effort to snatch an equaliser but the best they could create was a chance that fell to Ken Feyi after 85 minutes, however, his shot was blocked. Romford then spent the seemingly insufficient seven minutes of the time that was added on with ten men and Andy Morris in goal after Harry Girling was sin binned for protesting about a free-kick hard by the corner flag that Boro were required to retake.

Apart from whoever wins the all Essex Senior League tie between White Ensign and West Essex, which is still to be played, Takeley are the league’s only survivors in the FA Vase after Benfleet and Great Wakering Rovers suffered similar fates to Romford, with Benfleet losing at Brantham Athletic and Rovers beaten on penalties by Great Yarmouth Town.

Romford: Harry Girling, Sam Elwood, Amaree Robinson-Jones (Eli Benoit 72'), Jaiden Babalola, Andy Morris, Derek Feyi, Brendan Ocran, Chris Millar (Arnold Mengi 75'), Kennedy Feyi, Joe Paxman (Toheeb Elegushi, 54’), Praise Ogbebor. Unused subs: Jake Gordon, Lucas Polyblank, Hafeez Elegushi.

Report by Mike Woods.